Hornyhead Chub Fishing Guide, 31 Best-Graded Lakes

Hornyhead Chub is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 31 lakes carry documentation. Hornyhead Chub is narrowly distributed — only 31 lakes in Michigan have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Hornyhead Chub lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Hornyhead Chub documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

57 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Hornyhead Chub Lakes

Best Hornyhead Chub Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with hornyhead chub ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	A	45 ft	9
2	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	9
3	Sanford Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	-	17
4	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	-	15
5	Lake Ann	Benzie	MI	NR	75 ft	10
6	Long Lake	Gogebic	MI	NR	60 ft	40
7	Corey Lake	St. Joseph	MI	NR	-	13
8	Silver Lake	Van Buren	MI	NR	-	15
9	Avery Lake	Montmorency	MI	NR	-	9
10	Brown Lake	Jackson	MI	NR	-	6
11	Sanford Lake	Midland	MI	NR	20 ft	17
12	Big Bradford Lake	Otsego	MI	NR	-	14
13	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	-	15
14	Eagle Lake	Allegan	MI	NR	-	30
15	Viking Lake	Otsego	MI	NR	25 ft	18
16	Jordan Lake	Barry	MI	NR	-	23
17	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	MI	NR	88 ft	40
18	Long Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	-	40
19	Baldwin Lake	Cass	MI	NR	-	25
20	Silver Lake	Genesee	MI	NR	-	15
21	Long Lake	Cass	MI	NR	42 ft	25
22	Baldwins Lake	Cass	MI	NR	55 ft	33
23	Green Lake	Grand Traverse	MI	NR	102 ft	11
24	Silver Lake	Lenawee	MI	NR	26 ft	15
25	Silver Lake	Washtenaw	MI	NR	-	15
26	Lake James	Roscommon	MI	NR	-	12
27	Green Lake	Allegan	MI	NR	60 ft	20
28	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	-	9
29	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	91 ft	15
30	Long Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	61 ft	40
31	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	45 ft	9

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have hornyhead chub?

Hornyhead Chub are found in 31 graded lakes: 31 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with hornyhead chub is A (Excellent).

What are the best lakes for hornyhead chub?

The best hornyhead chub lakes by water quality are Upper Woodcock Lake, Lower Woodcock Lake, Sanford Lake, Silver Lake, Lake Ann. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where hornyhead chub have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with hornyhead chub?

Hornyhead Chub are most commonly found alongside hornyhead chub, bluntnose minnow, northern longear sunfish, yellow perch, johnny darter. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Hornyhead Chub Lakes

Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Found together in 29 lakes · 160 total

Northern Longear Sunfish Lakes

Found together in 24 lakes · 64 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 23 lakes · 1,577 total

Johnny Darter Lakes

Found together in 22 lakes · 98 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 22 lakes · 2,489 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 21 lakes · 1,550 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.